Hamtaro !¡ Nothing you Love is Lost
by Aroua
Summary: A Hamtaro Fic! This one is focused on Panda and a new hamster, Namely Keona. PLEASE R/R! I love feedback, even negative feedback. I promise you won't be disappointed! ~*~FINISHED!~*~ Read the Sequel- Moonlit Sunrise!
1. Restoration

**Nothing you Love is Lost**

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**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Hamtaro, and I never will.  
**Chapter One:** Restoration

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A tiny white-and-chestnut hamster flitted through the brambles and low-hanging branches, eternally unsure of where she was going. Jangling aound her neck was a golden locket, the perfect size for a hamster. At the end dangled a metallic heart frame. It dinged and clanged as she ran. For the last two years, she had wandered what seemed to her to be the whole world, but had never really gotten anywhere. For two years ago, she had lost the two people who were most dear to her and meant everything to her. The two beings that she would give her life for without a second thought. One of those were her human, Mina. The oher was her best friend, whom she could hardly even remember anymore. That fact broke her heart; she had always loved him, and it tore at her soul to lose him.

As she ran, she remembered the day which would never stop tormenting her.

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_September 23, 2000  
Two hamsters chased eachother in circles, before finally collapsing in a heap in the middle of the forest floor. Laughing and panting, they didn't notice the shadow descending overhead. In an instant, they both had been grabbed up by the evil, tearing talons of a great horned owl. _

The laughter vanished, and was replaced by cries and screams for help. Suddenly the owl lost its grip and the female hamster dropped, crying and shouting, onto the branch of a pine tree, a half-mile from her home. She dropped down through the branches and needles until she hit the ground and blacked out.

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The hamster kept running, small tears forming in her eyes. She ran a lot now, and she had the feeling that all this time she had been running from everything and nothing at the same time. She had a lot of time to think these days, but through all the thinking, she could never figure out what her purpose was anymore. She had nothing to live for. So she just kept running.

Finally she stopped and sat at the base of a pine tree, just like the one she had tumbled through all those years ago. Looking up, she remembered watching the ground come ever closer, and then unconsciousness took her. When she had come to, she had no idea where she was... or what had happened to her friend. Maybe he escaped... it was always possible.

Suddenly something caught her eye. It was an unnatural looking pile of leaves. Curiosity overcame her judgement and she went to go examine it more closely. When she tried to move the top leaf, the rest went with it- _they were attached!_ She moved the whole thing aside and, to her astonishment, found herself staring down a long, dark tunnel.

Once again, her insatiable curiosity clouded her common sense, and she slowly descended down the tunnel. After five minutes of wandering, she began to wonder if the tunnel actually went anywhere. But, at last, she saw a light. _I must be near the end!_ She thought excitedly. But suddenly, she remembered that she had no idea what might be down there, and for a fleeting instant, she was afraid. But she quickly recollected her confidence and reminded herself that she had dealt with a lot of things in her two years alone in the wild world.

She finally reached the end of the tunnnel and peeked in. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. Hamsters! At least a dozen- she had only once seen another hamster since she was carried away, and he was particularly brusque and rude- she was very excited to see so many more of her own kind. Remembering her locket, she quickly stuffed it behind her back so that, once she was noticed, they wouldn't see it.

Over at a table, immersed in conversation, were five hamsters. One was a creamy white with vermillion-colored splotches on his head and back, and he looked excited. Another was pale white with round gray spots all over- he was carrying a delectable-looking sunflower seed. He looked rather bored and sleepy. Another was rather tall with a brown back- he was furiously searching a book, apparently to find evidence to support his theory- whatever it was. The fourth one was also referring to a book, and he had brown glasses perched on his nose. The last was white with the exception of his dark-brown ears, and he had a green cap on his head.

In the corner were four more hamsters- one rather handsome one was shamelessly rattling a pair of marracas- he was orange with dark brown stripes. There was another (She looked female) who was totally identical except for a maroon ribbon at the base of her tail. She was looking rather embarrassed at the one with his marracas. The third was the tallest hamster in the room, and he was tan with dark brown spaces and had a yellow-and-green hat with a crescent moon on it. The last hamster was tan and white with a flashy red apron around his waist. These two were clapping and laughing.

The last group of hamsters the intruder noted with interest. They were all female and were playing some sort of clapping game. One had a snow-white glossy coat and had two blue ribbons on either side of her head, which held tufts of fur in place. Another was white and tan with a magenta scarf, and the last hamster was just watching. She looked very young, younger than all the others.

There were only two hamsters left. One was asleep in a tiny sleeping bag in the far corner, and the other appeared to be hammering something- his back was to her. The female hamster at the door just watched for a while. She bent forward to get a better look at the rest of the room, and stumbled. She caught herself just in time to keep from falling- but one hamster noticed. The female with the pink scarf spotted her in the doorway.

She gasped and stopped clapping. She bent forward to whisper something the her partner and pointed. The younger one noticed too. "Ookyoo!" she cried. Evetually, all of the hamsters had seen her, except the sleeping one. One hamster, with white-and-orange fur, came up to her, with a giant grin on his face.

"Hi!" he said pleasantly. "My name's Hamtaro. Do you live around here?"  
"Um, no, not exactly," replied the intruder. "And my name's Keona. I just kind of found this place." Looking around, she added, "Do all of you live here?"

Hamtaro shook is head. "Nope. Just Snoozer over there," he replied, nodding toward the sleeping hamster. Keona was about to say something else when the hamster who had noticed her first stepped forward and shook her hand, saying, "I'm Pashmina! Good to meet you! And she-" she added, pointing to the youngest one, "-Is Penelope." Penelope smiled and said "Ookyoo!"

The glossy white one with the blue bows quickly shook Keona's hand too, smiling, "I'm Bijou!" She had a thick french accent.The rest of the hamsters introduced themselves one by one as Boss, Cappy, Maxwell, Sandy, Oxnard, Stan, Dexter and Howdy. Finally, when Keona was getting tired of shaking hands, the last one came forward, the one who had had his back to her.

"I'm Panda. Nice to meet you." He said quietly, looking rather embarrassed. Keona blinked. He was very handsome. In fact, he was downright gorgeous. After closer inspection, Keona nearly collapsed; she felt so strange... as if she were in love.

And there was something about him that reminded Keona of something... but she couldn't place it. She didn't have much time to think about it, however, because Hamtaro rushed forward and said breathlessly, "C'mon! I'll show you around the clubhouse!"

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Chapter Two: Peace 


	2. Peace

**Nothing you Love is Lost**

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**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT OWN HAMTARO!  
**Chapter Two:** Peace

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**(A/N: First Person: Panda)** Hamtaro had asked me to make a secret entrance to the clubhouse. I agreed; it would also serve as an emergency exit, which could come in handy. However, when I tried to explain this to Hamtaro, he didn't understand at all. 

"Oh well," I sighed, though rather amused. I loved to build, so I got right to work. I started to make on a collapsable ladder which would be set to tumble down from the exit at the press of a button. I was nearly finished when the stranger hamster appeared at the doorway. I'd never seen her before, but she was beautiful. Flustered, I quickly turned away so she wouldn't know I'd seen her.

My heart thumped against my chest... there was something so familiar about her... But no time to think about that now. _Who is she? What is she doing here?!_ I thought frantically. I furrowed my brow in confusion; why was I so upset? It made no sense. I peeked around again and looked at her for a moment. Her coat was a soft cream-and-mahogany color, and chestnut tufts of fur stood out on her cheeks. Behind her back she was holding a golden chain, it looked like a locket, but I couldn't see the end.

She really was beautiful, and I felt strangely drawn to her. I couldn't but my finger on it, but there was something about her... After a moment, Pashmina spotted her and pointed her out to Bijou. Penelope noticed, too, and cried out in surprise. Then everybody else turned to look.

"Darn it," I muttered to myself. Then I stopped. For some reason, the hamster felt like my own secret, and for a second, I was angry that I now had to share it with the others. Hamtaro ran forward and introduced himself, then everyone else followed suit. Blushing, I stepped forward and looked up at her. I shook her hand like the others had, and a tingle ran down my spine. 

"I'm Panda," I murmured, awed by her utter beauty. "Nice to meet you." Though I wish I could have said so much more, I had no idea what. I didn't know why I felt like this, I had only just met her. She smiled, and I nearly melted. Just then, Hamtaro darted in front of me and offered a tour of the clubhouse. I felt another stab of anger, but my own guilt washed it out.

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By the end of the tour, Keona was a lot more confident and was revealed to be very nice. Everybody was trying to talk to her and tell her something. I listened vaguely to everything, not really paying attention to the other Ham-Hams, but to Keona herself. This went on until Dexter asked, "So, who's your human?"

I looked up immidiately and listened very closely. I had been wondering this myself, and I had a feeling that the answer might tell me what Keona reminded me of. However, a flash of pain struck her features, and her answering tone was sad and low, unlike her previous light, jovial voice.

"Well, I don't really... um, have one. I live by myself." At first I didn't really think much of it, and I was disappointed. Bijou looked excited. "Really? Then you can stay with us, and live here!" Keona smiled, looking intrigued. She was aout to speak when Stan darted in front. 

"Hey, sweet thang, maybe you can stay with me! Do ya like to dance?" He grinned flirtatiously. Keona was not impressed, much to my relief. I sensed that I would be devastated is she were taken with him like most were.

Sandy had ignored him completely; she was used to him by now. "This will be, like, totally cool! You can sleep in the extra room in the back there," She added, pointing to a room behind her. Keona looked excited, too. "I'd love to," she cried joyously.

Boss stepped forward. "Howdy and I," he announced, motioning behind him towards Howdy, "Will build a bed and furniture for you! After all," he added proudly, "I did build this whole place to begin with." Keona nodded eagerly. "I would really appreciate that!" She smiled.

"Oh yeah," Boss nodded, turning to me. "Panda can help too. He loves building things." I blushed furiously. Keona's smile remained as she looked towards me. She said softly, "I'd like that."

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Months passed, and Keona settled in quickly. All of the Ham-Hams were eager to help out in any way possible, so she was very well provided for. She soon became one of us, and it was like she hd been here since the club had been started. However, she rarely spoke to me, and when she did, she avoided my eyes. We only made eye contact when she was talking to someone else.

I berated myself for thinking she would ever like me. But her beauty struck me full force whenever I laid eyes on her. Nobody else seemed to notice, they were all intent on making her feel at home here. I guess I was too, but there was something about her that gave me a case of deja vu, and it really bugged me because I didn't know what it meant.

Keona and the girls were fast friends, as she was a very likeable person. They often got immersed in giggles during their conversations, and this was a sure sign that Keona was comfortable here.

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One day I finished the secret entrance/emergency exit. Hamtaro insisted on my giving a demonstration of it, and everyone was very impressed. When I finished, everyone started clapping. I grinned self-consciously, looking around the room. When my eyes reached Keona, I noted that she too was smiling. Her very smile made my own smile real and not self-conscious. I felt so strongly that I had seen her before, right then. her smile was so familiar. I knew it would occupy my dreams forever.

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Chapter Three: Deja Vu 


	3. Deja Vu

**Nothing you Love is Lost**

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**Disclaimer:** I WISH I owned Hamtaro... but I don't. I do own a spatula, though!  
**Chapter Three:** Deja Vu

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**(A/N: Third Person) **Keona was happy at the clubhouse, happier than she'd ever been before. She was with people who cared about her and wanted to make her feel like she belonged. Which she did; she could feel it. She felt strange towards Panda, though. She very suddenly got shy whenever he came close. Keona wanted more than anything to talk to him, but never could.

She was angry with herself for being so shy, even angry with Panda for not understanding immidiately why she didn't speak to him. She could tell that Panda was hurt by her silence, and that made her want to cry, but she didn't have the courage to tell him that. 

Unfortunately, Keona thought that Panda hated her for this. That was the worst part.

One night, Keona was saying goodbye to the other Ham-Hams, about to get ready for bed. She noticed Panda working on something in the corner- much like the time she first arrived. At first she considered telling him goodbye as well, but instead sighed and went to her room.

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Panda stopped working. He had been building an extension to the escape ladder, which didn't touch the ground, making it harder for Penelope to climb it. He peeked behind him to see that Keona had retreated into her room. Only then did he get up. The fact that she had to be out of sight for him to act freely enraged him.

_This is stupid,_ he thought to himself angrily. I'm acting like a little kid! Why am I being so immature? He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. This wasn't fair, none of it. He wanted to be her friend, but all the time knowing that he hadn't a chance. He looked at the clock he, Maxwell and Dexter had built, and sighed- it was getting late and Mimi would be returning home soon.

He got up and shook himself, glancing once again at Keona's room. The door was half closed, so he tiptoed over to the wall where the door was. Inching closer and closer, he finally peeked in, expecting her to be asleep. Instead, he was shocked to hear faint sobbing. The back of her headboard was facing him, so he couldn't see Keona. He walked silently forward and looked over the headboard until he could see her hands. In them was the locket Keona had hidden from sight on her first day.

Squinting so he could see better, he saw in the locket a picture of a girl of about twelve with a hamster in her hand. Unconsciously bending closer, he realized that the hamster was Keona. He was trying to take a closer look at the girl when he bent too far and stumbled. At this point Keona looked around in her bed and saw him trying to get out.

Gasping, she cried, "What are you doing here?! Get out!" Panda didn't need to be told more than once. He scurried out the door, which was immidiately slammed behind him. Seconds later, he heard a brief bouncing of springs in the bed as Keona jumped in, sobbing again. 

Without thinking, Panda ran out the door, tears now staining his own cheeks. Up the passage he went, until his eyes met the setting sun, casting the sky into a brilliant pink and blue. A half moon was visible to the left of the sun, shining with a pure white light. He ran toward his home, thinking hard. The girl in the picture was so incredibly familiar, it was driving him crazy.

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Keona cried harder and harder as her remorse grew. In the surprise of seeing Panda there, she had acted without thinking. Now she knew Panda hated her. This just wasn't fair. She slowly fell into an uneasy sleep, nightmares of hate and deceit filling her mind.

The next morning, befire any of the other Ham-Hams had arrived, Keona sat quietly in her bed. She at last resolved to approach Panda and apologize. However, Panda never arrived. Fearing the worst, Keona asked everyone if they had seen him. None of them had.

"Oh, no..." Keona whispered. Hamtaro, being his cute little self, noticed her worry and assured her, "Don't worry, he's probably just sick." However, he didn't show up the next day either. Hamtaro maintained his optimism, but Keona didn't share it. No hamster had been absent for more than a day without telling them, and they were never sick for very long.

_Have I chased him away? Did he hate me so much that he couldn't stand being around me? What have I done?!_

In her confusion, she forgot to remain cheerful, and the Ham-Hams being the sweet hamsters that they are, they were instantly worried about her. Everyone was usually very happy unless something was wrong. Keona tried to tell herself that he was probably sick or something, but to no avail; her heart told her differently. Whenever she pictured him, her heart was filled with a sweetly familiar feeling which always spoke in whispers to her heart and her soul. She missed him... and she loved him.

When he didn't arrive the next day, not even Hamtaro could hide the worry from his voice when he gave Keona her daily reassurance. Every hamster in the clubhouse could feel it now- something was wrong. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Chapter Three: Dream come true 


	4. Dream come True

**Nothing you Love is Lost**

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**Disclaimer:**I own a spork!... Actually, I don't.  
**Chapter Four:** Dream come True

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** (A/N: Third Person)** "Okay," Hamtaro announced to the gathered crowd of murmuring hamsters, "We are going to look for Panda. Boss, Howdy and Stan can look in the acorn grove by the church. Oxnard, Cappy, Maxwell, Dexter and I will look in the apple orchard by Panda's house. Pashmina, Penelope, Sandy, Bijou and Keona can look around this area. Meet back in a half-hour!" He finished loudly.

The hamsters broke away into their respective groups and talked uneasily to eachother. Keona was about to set off after the girls when something very suddenly held her back. She looked around. All he hamsters were near the doorway. She realized that whatever was holding her back wasn't physical; it was her heart. Her heart was very clearly saying "Stop. DO NOT go anywhere."

Keona blinked. Why would she stay here? What could there be gained by remaining in the clubhouse? She knew not why, but she decided to stay. Thinking quickly, she pretended to hang in the back, unnoticed by the others. At lasy, the Ham-Hams had all filed out the door and had begun to proceed down the dark, musty tunnel. She looked around. She was completely alone.

What was there to do now? Her heart had always led her rightly before, but she had no idea what she should do. However, almost immidiately, her question was answered.

"Keona!... Keona! Over here!" A voice called to her from somewhere nearby, but where? She looked around frantically; nobody. 

_"Up here!"_ Cried the voice urgently. Very slowly, Keona looked up. There was Panda, in his secret entrance, leaning in and calling to her. "P-Panda! W...what are you doing here? They all went out to look-" 

"I know," he interrupted quietly. "I had to make them think I was in trouble. But look-" He gestured behind him, outside in the quiet forest. "I need you to come up here. There's something I have to show you."

Keona was shocked, but went without question. She ran over to the ladder and climbed. When she reached the top, she lingered, gazing into Panda's eyes. "Panda..." she whispered. "I... I'm so s-" He reached out a paw and silenced her. Shaking his head, he said, "Later." Keona looked up at him with- could it be?... yes - fear. Panda was amazed. "Are you afraid?" His tone was not mocking, but concerned.

"Please, let me apologize... I..." Her guilt was tormenting her, Panda could tell. She wasn't afraid of Panda, but of the concept of him hating her. Panda bit his lip. "You don't need to worry about it, Keona! I shouldn't have done what I did... no hard feelings, okay?" He smiled kindly. Then he took her paw in his and pulled her up into the shining light. She didn't look around, but continued looking at Panda.

She clasped his paw in both of hers and whispered, "What is it about you, Panda? You seem so familiar, almost like an extension of my very dreams..." He smiled at her and she nearly collapsed. She was in love with him. Neither of them moved for a few seconds. Suddenly, Panda freed his hand from Keona's grasped and, with it, gestured toward a small clearing in the forest. She looked and almost fainted.

Set up in the clearing were dozens of materials and paints, wood pieces, nails, glue... every imaginable material for the building of a miniature world. After rushing over and searching through the collection, she looked questioningly at Panda, who merely smiled. Suddenly it dawned on her.

"P-Panda? It was you? All those years ago?" Panda didn't reply. Instead, he said quietly, "Could you go get your locket? I'd like to see it." She darted back inside without question and was back in thirty seconds, with the golden necklace clutched in her paw.

He silently beckoned to her, and she followed him to a tree on the far side of the materials. Leaning against it was a golden circular frame, much like Keona's locket. Picking it up, he looked to her once more. Keona was getting tense.

He held it up next to her locket and Keona almost dropped it. Inside Panda's frame was a picture of a girl about twelve with a hamster in her hand. The hamster was Panda and the girl was the same as in Keona's picture, Mina.

The hamsters fell into eachothers arms. They were reunited at last. "I've missed you so much... I've been wandering the city for two years..." Panda looked shocked. "You have? All alone? Oh no..." he looked seriously concerned. 

She smiled, the tears falling freely down her face. "No, I was okay. I had lots of adventures... buit where have you been all these years? What happened with the owl?"

Panda's face was clouded by the unnerving memory. "When you fell, I tried to follow, but the owl wasn't going to lose both of us. I could only get away when the owl landed me in her nest and was preparing to eat me. As quick as possible, I jumped out. When I hit the ground, I tried hard not to pass out. I ran as quick as I could, hid behind a tree. That part's blurry, I was almost unconscious. Somehow I got away. Then Mimi found me. She's my owner now. She's had me for the last two years. Luckily, I was able to hang on to my picture, just as you were," he finished, holding up his picture slightly. 

"Panda," she sobbed, hugging him tightly. "I can't believe what happened, it's made my nightmares unbearable. And-" Panda shushed her again. 

"That's not what's important now. We're together! And as for these," He smiled, pointing at the materials, "When I saw your locket the other night, I remembered. I also remembered how you told me once that your dream was to design and build your own city, your own world."

Keona stared at him in disbelief. "You remember...? Even after all those years?" Panda nodded and she collapsed into sobbing again. 

"People always made fun of me. They thought it was a stupid dream, that I could never do it," she whimpered. Panda looked sadder than ever, but at the same time joyous. "I know. But it's not stupid to want to create a world all your own... more people have that dream than you think. Besides, this-" he added, glancing at the clearing, "Is only the beginning. I've become something of a carpenter and it would mean more than anything to me if I could help you build it."

Keona gave him a very genuine smile and murmured, "Of course! You are my best friend, and I could never deny you what you want." "What about what _you_ want?" Panda said quietly, avoiding her gaze. Did Keona love him? He didn't know.

Keona gently lifted his face so they were gazing into each other's eyes. "Panda, haven't you figured it out yet? You mean the world to me. I... I love you!" Then, throwing caution to the wind, she kissed him passionately on his lips. Surprised, Panda broke away. "You do? I don't know what to say... except that... I love you too! I always have. When you left, my life was worthless, but now- now, I'm truly happy again! I missed you so much, and Keona, I love you!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Three months later, Keona and Panda called a meeting among the Ham-Hams. "We have something to show all of you," smiled Keona. "Panda and I have been working on this for the past three months, and now it's finished." Panda took hold of a rope attached to a crimson curtain he had fashioned the day before. With a flourish, he pulled it. 

Behind the curtain lay a gorgeous shining city, cars speeding along the highway and at the same time paused in stillness for an eternity. Trees towered over plastic people, and buildings creatively designed filled spaces in between the redwoods. The hamsters let out a simultaneous gasp as they took in the percieved beauty.

The city was small enough to keep in the club house, but big enough to walk among the buildings and lights. As the Ham-Hams examined it excitedly, Keona and Panda hugged passionately and retreated to watch the reaction to Keona's world. She laid her head on Panda's shoulder as they watched. They were together at last, forevermore. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


End file.
